The way it was... the way it is

Capacity: When Wembley was built there was room for 100,000 standing and 23,000 seated spectators. During the latter years of the old stadium's life, when all spectators had to be seated capacity was capped at 79,000. In the new stadium there will be 90,000 seats, all under cover.

Seats: In the old stadium there were 16,000 seats with an obstructed view, in the new Wembley there will be none. The standard seat width was 41cm, and this will rise to 50cm in the new ground. The old seats were 64cm deep; the new will be 80cm. Every seat in the stadium will have greater leg room than the accommodation in the old Royal box.

Lifts: When the original Wembley reached the end of its life it had the grand total of three lifts and one escalator. The 2006 building will have 26 and 30, respectively.

Toilets: The old Wembley got by with 361 toilets. When the new stadium opens it will have 2,618.

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Catering: The number of food and drink service points is to rise from 152 to 688.

Height: The old Twin Towers stood 35 metres tall. The new arch, at 133 metres, is almost 100 metres higher.

Cost: In 1923, the bill for the stadium came in at £750,000. The total figure for the new Wembley, including the cost of purchasing the site and demolition, is £757 million.

Materials: 1,400 tonnes of steel went into the structure of the 1923 Wembley. The 2006 version has required 23,000 tonnes. The amount of concrete in the building has risen from 25,000 tonnes to 212,000 tonnes.

Getting there: The capacity of trains and tubes servicing the stadium has risen around 50 per cent, from 38,000 passengers per hour to 57,000.